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logynnhailley
Participant
April 13, 2023
Question

Behavior problem when dragging layers in Layer Window

  • April 13, 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 169 views

Issue: Since last update selecting a layer will trigger "Rename layer" or open "Layer Effects" dialogue, instead of dragging the layer in the Layer Window, or dragging the layer to another file. 

  • Photoshop version: v24.3
  • OS: Mac OS Ventura 13.3.1


Steps to reproduce: Using the mouse cursor, attempt to quickly select and drag a layer in the Layer Window. You will find that instead of dragging the layer it will open the Layer Effects dialogue or trigger the Rename function for the layer. The behavior is the same when dragging a layer up or down in the order, or dragging the layer from one file to another. The only way to get the expected dragging function is to move slowly and select as far to the right on the layer as possible in the Layer Window. 

 

Expected result: When I click and drag a layer, that the layer moves to where I put it. 
Actual result: When I click and drag the layer it opens the Layer Effects dialogue or Renames the layer instead. 

My theory is that the developers tweaked the "hitbox" for Rename or Layer Effect Dialogue on the layer's bar in the Layer Window. They probably intended to make it easier to trigger either of those two functions. 
But, in effect, it's maddening how much it interrupts my work flow. I DO NOT NEED to rename or open Layer Effects via the Layer Window. I could do that in the main layers menu, or I could do it by right clicking on the layer and selecting that in a menu there. 
But I can ONLY drag the layer to a new file or up and down in the hierachy by clicking it in the Layer Window and dragging it. That means THIS must be the priority function of clicking the layer bar in the Layer Window. 

Possible solutions:
1) Make the hitboxes for the Rename and Layer Effects functions a lot smaller, so that it's harder to accidentally trigger them while selecting or dragging a layer. 

2) Make a setting where I can turn off the Rename or open Layer Effects dialogue functions in the Layer Window, and access them by right clicking, or through the main layers menu instead. 

I cannot tell you how irritating it is to accidentally trigger these superficial functionss when I'm trying to move a layer. My main pet peeve with Photoshop used to be its insistance on telling me every time my aborted selection is too small to see any pixels. But now it's this. It's a small thing that interrupts me dozens or hundreds of times a day. Please fix it. 

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

CShubert
Community Manager
Community Manager
April 13, 2023

Hi @logynnhailley sorry to hear this.

 

Let's make sure we're in a default state and there are no stale settings somewhere: 

Restore your preferences using this manual method:  

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html#Manually 

Does it work correctly? 

If that doesn't solve it, you can quit Photoshop and put the Settings folder back. 

 

 

It may help if we could see your Photoshop System Info. Launch Photoshop, and select Help >System Info...and copy/paste the text in a reply.  

 

Kevin Stohlmeyer
Community Expert
Community Expert
April 13, 2023

Hi @logynnhailley this appears to be specific to you as I am on the same setup and my Mac is not behaving the same.

Can you try using a different mouse? The behavior you are describing is normally triggered by a double-click.